Scottish Government reveals crackdown on 'cowboy' Botox, fillers and cosmetic surgery

The Scottish Government has revealed new proposals to crack down on “cowboy” Botox, fillers and cosmetic surgery procedures.

The plans mean dermal fillers and the use of Botox will have to be supervised by a qualified healthcare professional, while “breast and buttock augmentations” must be carried out by a qualified professional.

As the sector is not currently fully regulated, anyone can carry out the procedures without formal training.

Improvements in the safety and standards in the non-surgical cosmetic procedures sector have been set out, with a minimum age of 18 to be introduced for all procedures.

Treatments have been classified into three groups depending on the risks involved. They are:

Group 1 – such as microneedling and non-ablative laser treatments – will both require a premises licence and individual practitioner licences issued by local authorities
Group 2 – includes injectables like Botox and dermal fillers – will have to be supervised by a qualified health care professional in a setting regulated by Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS)
Group 3 – includes procedures such as breast and buttock augmentation – will have to be performed by a qualified healthcare professional in a Healthcare Improvement Scotland-regulated setting

The Government will take forward the legislation to implement the proposals at the Scottish Parliament.

A new Bill regulating group two and group three procedures will be introduced later this year.

Public health minister Jenni Minto said: “It is deeply upsetting to hear of cases where people have suffered as a result of non-surgical cosmetic procedures going wrong.

“The current gaps in regulation mean that anyone can perform most of these procedures without the need for any formal training or qualifications.

“These proposals reflect our determination to protect the public and ensure high standards across this growing industry.

“I am particularly heartened by the broad support for action to make the sector safer, and we will continue to work closely with Healthcare Improvement Scotland, local authorities, and the wider industry to support a smooth and effective implementation.”

Fat injections and Brazilian butt lifts ‘offered in public toilets’

A “Wild West” of fat injections, Brazilian butt lifts (BBLs), Botox and fillers are being offered by untrained people in places such as public toilets, trading standards leaders have warned.

The Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) said there was a need for urgent Government action over unregulated and unlicensed practitioners and treatments, alongside where they can be offered.

‘I thought I was having a stroke after I got Botox – my face was drooping’

A woman who got Botox after seeing an advert for a “bargain” procedure on social media thought she was having a stroke after her face began to droop.

Florence Docherty, who got a mini facelift three months ago after seeing an advert on Instagram, began to feel numbness and tingling in her face weeks after the procedure.

When she smiled, her face would droop to one side.

During the procedure, a muscle on her face which should not have been injected with Botox was hit.

Florence has since visited a medical aesthetics clinic in Barrhead, who confirmed the treatment she was promised was not possible.

She says when she got the procedure, it wasn’t explained to her what Botox would be used but that she did not ask because it was a “bargain”.